Mike Bucci performed under the ring names “Simon Dean” for WWE and “Super Nova” for ECW.
Mike Bucci, the professional wrestler best known as WWE’s Simon Dean and ECW’s Super Nova, is sick and tired of seeing anabolic steroids demonized. Bucci recently proclaimed himself a “steroid advocate” who supports steroid use in a rant with Hannibal TV on November 11, 2018.
“I’m actually a steroid advocate,” Bucci said. “I’ve never met anybody in my life who took steroids and died from them. People always say they do, you know. They bring up Lyle Alzado. They bring up those people.”
Bucci flatly rejected the reports that Alzado and other famous athletes died as the result of their steroid experimentation. He did not explain in detail why such allegations of steroid-related deaths were bogus. But Bucci did refer viewers to a critically-acclaimed 2008 documentary film called “Bigger Stronger Faster*”.
Simon Dean encouraged viewers to watch the documentary “Bigger Stronger Faster*”.
“Bigger Stronger Faster” discussed the pervasive use of anabolic steroids in sports, entertainment and society in the United States. Director Chris Bell debunked many of the myths surrounding the dangers of anabolic steroids and called for steroid law reform.
Along those same lines, Bucci believed that steroids are no more dangerous than alcohol and cigarettes. And if those drugs are legal for recreational use, then steroids should be legal as well.
“I’m from the mindset that as long as cigarettes are legitimate and alcohol is legitimate and a bunch of other stuff, I don’t see how you can stop an athlete from taking something to give him an edge to train harder, to train smart, or to train more efficiently.”
Bucci also questioned why steroids were banned in pro wrestling. The usual argument that steroids are performance-enhancing drugs does not apply. Pro wrestling, like Hollywood movies, are fake stories with predetermined endings.
“So I never understood, especially in wrestling, it’s a ‘performance-enhancing drug.’ What performance are you enhancing? You know I never understood that, right? Because it’s predetermined.”
Of course, Bucci has his own axe to grind with steroid testing in pro wrestling. The WWE fired Bucci after his name was linked to the purchase of steroids from the Signature Compounding Pharmacy in 2007. Signature Pharmacy provided many top wrestlers, professional athletes and Hollywood entertainers with performance-enhancing drugs.
Nonetheless, Bucci’s steroid rant is refreshing in a world where steroids are routinely demonized.